Cutting Edge | All Aboard! Culture and social inclusion

Cultural diversity: the roots of development

The ambition for social inclusion is seldom disputed in principle and has become one of the main precepts across the public policy spectrum. Yet, the complexity of its practical implementation remains a challenge. Global phenomena marked by political and civil unrest and conflicts, the rising scale of migration and evolving geopolitics, combined with shifting economic growth patterns, have prompted countries to rethink the notions of identity and citizenship, diversity and pluralism as they are faced with the deepening of social disparities, marginalization, exclusion and violent extremism. According to UNDESA, social inclusion is "the process of improving the terms for individuals and groups to take part in society".

The aspiration for social inclusion cuts across the 2030 Agenda, which emerged as a top priority in the A Million Voices: the World We Want consultation prior to its adoption. In addition to SDG 10 on inequalities, it is explicit in SDG 5 on empowering women and achieving gender equality, SDG 11 on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, and with regard to SDG 16 on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies. The commitment to leave no one behind also recognises that "no one size fits all". For the United Nations "creating a society for all is a moral obligation-one that must reflect the commitments to upholding fundamental human rights and principles of equality and equity." Yet social inclusion "also matters because it is the foundation for shared prosperity and because social exclusion is simply too costly," as a 2013 World Bank report points out. The UN Development Programme proposes five factors for understanding who is being left behind and why: discrimination; place of residence; socio-economic status; governance; and vulnerability to shocks.

As social inclusion is to a large extent about non-material aspects of a person's life, culture is a powerful lever for tackling it, as recognised by multilateral processes. As early as the 1995 World Summit for Social Development, the vision of an inclusive society as a 'society for all' was clearly outlined and governments recognised that a lack of participation in cultural life constituted a form of poverty. The Millennium Declaration of 2000 reiterated the need for the full protection and promotion in all countries of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights for all. By 2011, the United Nations General Assembly firmly rooted cultural in broader sustainable development through Resolution 66/208 'Culture and Development' that reaffirms that culture is an important factor in social inclusion, as well as in the fight against poverty, providing for economic growth and ownership of development activities. The establishment of the Permanent Forum of Indigenous Peoples as a UN consultative body in 2007 was also a major breakthrough in terms of human rights, cultural rights and social inclusion.

Social inclusion through culture is a right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 27 states "everyone has the right to freely participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits." A prerequisite for implementing this article is ensuring the necessary conditions for everyone to continuously engage in critical thinking, and to have the opportunity to interrogate, investigate and contribute ideas, regardless of frontiers. The UNESCO 2001 Declaration on Cultural Diversity reaffirms this right and further states, under Article 6 -"towards access for all to cultural diversity" - that people from all cultures should be able to "express themselves, make themselves known, and have equal access to art and the means of expression and dissemination."

People from all cultures should be able to "express themselves, make themselves known, and have equal access to art and the means of expression and dissemination."

- UNESCO 2001 Declaration on Cultural Diversity

Even taking a more instrumental view, social inclusion through greater participation in cultural life has also been shown to have a positive impact for society as a whole. Whilst the linkages between culture and social inclusion are not easy to define, a 2016 UNDESA report, for example, showed that a lack of engagement in civic and cultural activities among some individuals and groups had worrying implications for the foundations of democracy, such as representation, rule of law and protection of freedom and rights. Using data from World Values Survey, it showed that ethnic minorities in several countries express significantly lower confidence in the police and courts. Greater participation in cultural life - greater social inclusion - increases, therefore, the chances in societies being more democratic and stable.

From monuments to people

Participation, inclusivity and ownership of development processes have gradually gained importance across UNESCO's Culture Conventions as an overarching principle, both in terms of conceptual approach - which has become broader - as well as implementation modalities for projects and mechanisms for policy-design. From the 1990's, the UNESCO 1972 World Heritage Convention pivoted towards a broader, people-based approach to World Heritage properties, through the expansion of definitions that recognised the symbolic value of certain sites for communities and not only physical attributes. The cultural landscapes category, developed in 1992, was a paradigm shift that recognised values derived from interaction between human beings and the land - particularly those of indigenous communities - that facilitated the inscription of sites such as Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Australia) and over 100 other properties. Then, a significant shift towards interpreting "authenticity" (a qualifying condition for listing cultural World Heritage Sites), within the cultural context, including more intangible attributes of heritage sites, paved the way for listing properties such as Aapravasi Ghat (Mauritius) where value is associated with memories of indentured workers from India, and the old bridge area of Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina), a reconstruction deemed to have overall authenticity due to strong intangible dimensions. UNESCO World Heritage Cities' tangible and intangible heritage, also "constitutes a key resource in enhancing the liveability of urban areas, and fosters economic development and social cohesion in a changing global environment", as recognised in the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape. Furthermore, at an operational level, there is also greater recognition that conservation efforts at many sites that are confronted with mass tourism or gentrification cannot be done without the involvement of local communities.

The inclusion of communities is one of the founding concepts of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). Developed during a resurgence of interest in protecting cultural diversity and the traditional knowledge of minority groups and indigenous peoples in the face of globalising forces, it focuses on bearers and practitioners of living heritage, whether they be communities, groups or individuals. Living heritage contributes to social cohesion, encouraging a sense of identity and responsibility which helps individuals to feel part of one or different communities and to feel part of society at large. The 2003 Convention explicitly calls for the participation of communities, groups and non-governmental organizations in the identification and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage. The UNESCO Dive into Intangible Cultural Heritage Project reveals that there are many linkages between Intangible Cultural Heritage and SDG 10. The UNESCO Field Office of Montevideo recently published the paper "ICH - Social Inclusion" that proposes a methodological tool and resource to improve the management of ICH through the analysis of the conditions of sustainability, participation, and non-exclusion in several identified heritage contexts. The UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions  encourages an awareness of cultural diversity on the part of policy-makers and encourages the formation of non-discriminatory policies. It also contributes to social inclusion and fundamental freedoms, by calling on Member States to improve the status of artist and freedom of expression.

Both the 2003 and 2005 Conventions, marked a paradigm shift towards a more explicit awareness of the importance of directly associating beneficiaries in processes covered by the Conventions, including integrating a participatory process and a diversity of voices. The recognition of civil society as a key vector for the inclusion of a multiplicity of voices is particularly robust in the 2005 Convention. By placing participatory cultural policy-making at its heart - both at international level and national level - it directly contributes to SDG target 16.7. The 2005 Convention encourages and assists Parties in setting up civil society consultations for designing and reviewing policies, particularly through the Quadrennial Periodic Reports. More recently, the ResiliArt movement launched during the COVID-19 pandemic that starkly exposed the fragility of the sector, opened a new space for dialogue between governments and civil society.

Given these conceptual and operational evolutions, UNESCO has developed tools for Member States to assess the contribution of culture to sustainable inclusion, with a view to honing policy design. A 2012 volume of the UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics Handbook proposes a framework specifically to measure cultural participation. More recently, social inclusion features as one of the four key dimensions of the Culture|2030 Indicators framework published by UNESCO in 2019, linking its Culture Conventions to the different SDGs. Specific indicators include culture for social cohesion, artistic freedom, access to culture, cultural participation and participatory processes. At the national level, countries, such as the Republic of Korea, have also developed national cultural impact assessment frameworks.

Chiang Mai (Thaïlande), Ville créative d'artisanat et des arts populaires de l'UNESCO. Just2shutter/Shutterstock.com*

Culture: a vehicle for pluralism

Developing broader and more inclusive definitions of heritage and creativity is not just an academic issue: it is critical for designing cultural policies for greater social justice. In the mid to late 20th century, cultural participation was above all seen as relating to 'the arts' and was treated by most developed countries as counting visits to museums, galleries and performances. Gradually the focus has moved away from the democratization of 'high culture' through national institutions, to include many informal or traditional activities. Increasing focus is now placed on cultural participation as a lever for social inclusion, and as a core component of a vibrant democratic society, conducive to the values of tolerance and trust. States, particularly in Western Europe and Africa, are increasingly reporting on national sustainable development planning that harnesses the cultural and creative sectors to drive societal transformations, particularly in the realm of social inclusion by mobilising culture to nurture identity and social cohesion, fight inequalities and empower vulnerable groups and minorities. Social inclusion can be an objective for many public policies but there are a few key policy areas in which culture can be particularly effective.

The provision of inclusive access to cultural facilities, contributes to the social and economic vitality.The 2015 UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Protection and Promotion of Museums and Collections, their Diversity and their Role in Society, particularly highlights how museums "can also enhance the social inclusion of vulnerable populations", as places of cultural transmission, intercultural dialogue, learning, debate and training. The recent UNESCO high-level forum on museums further highlighted their role as essential pillars of our societies and fundamental places for sharing and dialogue. A number of countries are investing in cultural infrastructure to build a more inclusive narrative on cultural diversity. It is not just the extent of that physical infrastructure that counts for social inclusion but also the narratives that they reflect. Cultural institutions and museums play a critical educational role in conveying critical messages on history and of forging new audiences. The museums dedicated to genocide, for example, in Rwanda or Cambodia help populations and communities to better understand the dark pages of their past and are building on culture for reconciliation Similarly, the recently inaugurated National Ainu Museum and Park in Japan valorises the culture of the Ainu indigenous people, as well as preserving elements of their intangible cultural heritage such as language, spiritual values, traditional dances and handicrafts.

Some countries seek to expand cultural infrastructure beyond the urban centres, including in rural areas or urban peripheries. Central Asia, for example, has a well developed cultural sector in its vast areas through cultural and leisure institutions, many of which help to safeguard the living heritage of those communities. The National Target Programme on New Rural Development of Viet Nam, also targets rural areas through cultural infrastructure and cultural community activities. Mali has a large network of community museums whilst Egypt and Iraq use mobile libraries and bookstores to share literature with remote communities. Meanwhile, Darling, South Africa holds an annual festival, called the Voorkamerfees (the 'Front Room Festival') that literally happens in the front rooms of poorer people who reap the economic benefits from hosting performances, and not in city-based, purpose-built infrastructure.

Traditional hut of the Ainu indigenous people of Japan. Nonchanon/Shutterstock.com*

Accessibility and reaching diverse audiences remain important tasks for museums and heritage information centres. Studies have found that museums in general lag behind other social institutions with regards to accommodating people living with disabilities such as wheelchair users, the visually challenged, and hearing impaired people. Tunisia's "Museums for All" initiative has made two museums accessible for the visually impaired whilst in Bulgaria, a national strategy implements arts education for children with special needs. Furthermore, prohibitive pricing can represent a barrier for some populations to participate. Through a scheme in Slovakia, for example, the Ministry of Culture distributes cultural vouchers to school pupils to access culture, such as for admission to a theatre, museum or gallery. Digital technologies provide new possibilities for improving accessibility to collections, such as "The First Brazilians" exhibition of indigenous culture of the country's National Museum that has been visited by some 250,000 people.

Public spaces have a social and cultural character that consolidates systems and processes of social inclusion, particularly as cities attract increased residents worldwide. On average, in urban areas, public spaces for use by residents and visitors comprises about half of the land, with the exception of very dense settlements. At outlined in the 2016 UNESCO publication Culture: Urban Future, the democratic use of the public space as a common good allows culture to flourish - for example, through public artworks, street theatre or carnivals - but also to strengthen social interactions, to open spaces for dialogue and to become familiar with the culture of others. Unfortunately, about one billion people live in informal settlements which typically lack basic services, as well as nearby public open spaces.

The local level, or other sub-national levels, determine to a large extent, the availability of cultural resources and specific initiatives for the effective exercise of cultural rights. At city level, for example, the Parque Cultural Valparaíso (Valparaiso Cultural Park), Chile , once a public prison, is now a cultural centre for dance, music, theatre and circus performance, and has helped promote dialogue among the community and encourage local cultural practices through fairs and street theatre. Cities are also leading on some initiatives, such as Buenos Aires, Argentina, which is coordinating activities to reduce the social stigma of people with mental health problems through cultural activities.

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Supporting the vitality of civil society through a diversity of voices

Promoting the diversity of cultural expressions is conducive to social cohesion. Free cultural expression through values, beliefs, convictions, languages, knowledge and the arts, institutions and ways of life enables people to express their humanity, their world view and their cultural heritage. A 2016 Council of Europe publication reported that "diverse societies where individuals maintain their own identities are not necessarily less inclusive or less cohesive". Furthermore "cultural participation more generally and specific forms of cultural activity, especially artistic expression, online creativity and passive participation, are indeed strongly associated with trust, tolerance and related dimensions of an inclusive society." The 2003 Convention also supports projects aimed at wider social cohesion through the safeguarding of the cultural practices of marginalised communities.

Culture is an undisputed lever, in particular, to foster the inclusion of migrant populations.A 2012 UNESCO publication "Migrants' Inclusion in Cities", published with UN-Habitat, advocates for the inclusion of migrants through inter-cultural debates, city galleries and venues open to immigrant artists, among other initiatives. Istanbul, Turkey holds an annual International Migration Film Festival to highlight that migration has been a common story experienced by all nations throughout history. Initiatives, sometimes led by civil society organizations, such as the Refugee Food Festival in France, also serve for social inclusion of a stigmatised population through sharing of the culinary traditions, building relations with the broader community. In Peru, like other parts of the Latin America and Caribbean region, migration is a policy concern, and UNESCO and the International Organization for Migration has recently launched a project strengthening the socio-economic integration of migrants and refugees in the town of Arequipa through the arts and cultural industries.

Other groups who may face discrimination include women, youth, older people, ethnic minorities and people with disabilities and countries are leveraging the cultural sector to foster social inclusion as reflected in UNESCO's Policy Monitoring Platform. Examples include Norway's action plan for inclusion and representation in films, Ethiopia's Cultural Festival for People with Disabilities or Panama's programme to promote the culture of its Afro-Darienita community. The Art-Lab initiative, in collaboration with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) focuses on artistic interventions with at-risk populations, putting into practice cultural rights and justice for social inclusion. A series of Art-Lab pilots started in Cameroon in July 2021 in view of mainstreaming the arts practice into the policies of the Ministries of social affairs, as well as the humanitarian and development operators.

Cultural and creative industries can also be harnessed for the economic empowerment of marginalised groups. Rasht, Iran (a UNESCO Creative City for Crafts and Folk Art), for example, has established a crafts centre to empower women cultural entrepreneurs and Barbados has launched a project to train out-of-school youth in the audiovisual and media industries. The International Fund for Cultural Diversity, linked to the 2005 Convention, aims to support the creative sector in developing countries, including through projects, reinforcing "Cultural Factories" for women in Uruguay and engaging Namibia's San community musicians to become cultural entrepreneurs.

Mind the gap

Social barriers may prevent individuals and communities from accessing public services, for example due to language differences or ingrained negative stereotypes. In recognition that the manner in which services are provided matters almost as much as the technical design of the service itself there is a growing practice focusing on "intercultural competencies" among service providers, particularly advanced in health and social work, and is growing in education and other sectors. UNESCO has undertaken training sessions based on the Story Circles, a participatory and dynamic methodology to develop intercultural competencies in a space of equity and respect. The methodology for the acquisition of intercultural competencies empowers frontline workers with the socio-emotional skills to interact across difference, whether within a society (differences due to age, gender, religion, socio-economic status, political affiliation, ethnicity, and so on) or across borders, fighting against stereotypes and unconscious bias. The Master Class Series against Racism and Discriminations, launched by UNESCO in 2019, also seeks to empower students to become youth champions in their own schools and communities and spread awareness on how to deconstruct the mechanisms underlying racism and discrimination and seek mutual understanding.

Municipalities are at the forefront of addressing the needs and entitlements of a growing and diversifying population in this age of mobility. UNESCO has contributed, along with other UN agencies to reflection and a guidance document for building the inclusive, equitable communities envisioned by the 2030 Agenda and the Global Compacts for Migration and on Refugees. Furthermore, the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities (ICCAR) - launched by UNESCO in 2004 - supports the work of some 500 cities in seven regional and national coalitions of cities to build inclusive urban development, free from all forms of discrimination. UNESCO Creative Cites are also vehicles for engaging citizens in "design thinking" for moulding urban public policies tailored to the needs of the population, such as in Bandung, Indonesia (a Creative City of Design).

As well as cultural competencies, institutional arrangements can facilitate access to and delivery of public services. In New Zealand, service provision is devolved to Maori organizations such as health providers, who provide services that are responsive to Maori health needs and the Maori kaupapa (philosophy), using the Maori language. Language policy across the world can be an important driver of both exclusion and inclusion. Singapore has four official languages, facilitating access to public services, and Peru has a network of translators employed across the countries to ensure that speakers of indigenous languages can access services. Language in education was also identified in the 2020 Global Education Monitoring Report as vital for ensuring learning outcomes, as well as social inclusion. As part of the UNESCO Decade for Indigenous Languages 2022-2032, indigenous peoples represent a distinct group whose human right to language should be promoted and protected.

Deborah Kolb/Shutterstock.com*

Leaving noone behind: the extra mile

Social inclusion through culture is a human right issue and a pragmatic public policy choice. Participation in political, civic and cultural activities is a major part of social life and crucial to promoting democratic societies that are inherently more stable and prosperous. Social inclusion should not be seen as a threat to central government or the centrality of national values. Culture can be one of the underlying causes of social exclusion that impinges on the capacity of each individual to work, live and access basic services equitably. The ambition for social inclusion starts with the equal recognition of groups through anti-discrimination laws and their effective enforcement - an exercise that inherently dives into cultural differences - as well as creating more inclusive cultural and social institutions. Education is also vital to advance inclusion and global citizenship in today's diverse and multicultural societies. Social inclusion also requires removing barriers to fully participating in public life and accessing public services.

Harnessing the cultural and creative sector for social inclusion is particularly strategic in tackling exclusion. A starting point is targeted actions to improve the cultural infrastructure, open spaces for intercultural dialogue, create opportunities for cultural expression, and empower individuals and groups through the arts and crafts. Yet, culture needs to be anchored in the broader public policy spectrum meaning that governments will need to work around the usual silos. Cities play a particularly pivotal role in promoting diversity and inclusion, targeting the most disadvantaged groups, such as persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, youth, migrants and refugees, vulnerable women and girls, and the elderly. In an increasingly urban world, it is from cities that many of the greatest societal challenges emerge, so it is in cities that they must be faced - from growing inequalities to poverty and discrimination in all its forms. As centres of migration, diversity and connectivity, cities are also sites of innovation, exchange, learning, dialogue and cooperation, and are, as such, the very spaces in which creative solutions to contemporary challenges will be found.

Empowering those who are left behind is vital: individuals and groups who are excluded from political processes have limited voice or power to affect the attitudes, norms, institutions and policies that drive social exclusion in the first place. Civil society must play a strong role in policy design and policy monitoring in order to have informed, transparent and participatory systems of governance making it more likely that cultural and other public policies and measures reflect and serve people's needs. Multilateral institutions also bear responsibility for engaging with different segments of society to recall and also to encourage States to develop policies conducive to fostering pluralism. UNESCO remains fully engaged in upholding the ideals on which it is founded, from the right to education and the right to science, to the right to culture and the right to freedom of expression.

Looking ahead, the imperative for social inclusion should reshape public policy paradigms towards more equitable and inclusive models, in line with promise that is at the heart of the 2030 Agenda. Culture has the transformative power to make this happen. This overall ambition was a cornerstone of the G20 culture ministerial Declaration, which outlined a vision for more sustainable and inclusive growth. This crucial issue will also be at the core of policy discussions in the upcoming UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies - Mondiacult 2022, to be hosted in September 2022. Addressing social inclusion is also one of the three thematic priorities of the new Inter-Agency Platform on Culture for Sustainable Development, launched in May 2021 by UNESCO with 36 partner agencies to leverage international cooperation efforts, including through job creation, training and inclusive digital transformations.

Today, multicultural societies require ever more active investments, enlightened leadership, powerful educational values, extensive research in social innovation and an open media world in order to ensure the effectiveness of social inclusion. Social inclusion calls for the political will and commitment to strengthen the ability of living together with our differences - of sex, race, language, religion or culture - while furthering universal respect for justice and human rights on which such coexistence depends. None of the multifaceted and complex challenges of our times can be tackled effectively without inclusion. This is the resounding message of the 2030 Agenda and its pledge to "Leave no one behind". Action to counter societal fragmentation and actively commit to fostering social inclusion must be anchored in human rights and gender equality, while promoting openness, empathy and shared values. This is the cornerstone of UNESCO's normative and operational work which aims at advancing respect, protection and fulfilment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. As clearly articulated in the 2001 Declaration on Cultural Diversity,"Policies for the inclusion and participation of all citizens are guarantees of social cohesion, the vitality of civil society and peace."

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